Fortnum & Mason launches an exciting programme of events for 2024

2024 begins with a refreshing twist at Fortnum & Mason’s Food & Drink Studio. In a move away from the often overwhelming wellness culture, the studio is hosting an eclectic “no rules New Year”, inviting food and drink experts from around the globe to celebrate what makes people feel good.

The upcoming programme promises to balance indulgence with self-care, with highlights including a mini-market showcasing no- and low-alcoholic beverages, a Scottish whisky and cheese evening, and a food writing masterclass led by Felicity Cloake. There will also be a sugar-free dinner option for those looking for a healthier start to the year.

A notable event will be a discussion on the future of mass meat production. A panel of experts will discuss the advantages and drawbacks of various options such as farmed meat, cultivated meat and vegan alternatives, offering insights into the evolving landscape of food production.

MASTERCLASS – Pho with Thuy Pham
Thursday 18th January, 6:30pm – 8:30pm, from £35

Chef, bestselling author, and architect behind Islington’s beloved The Little Viet Kitchen, Thuy Diem Pham will be hosting a masterclass demonstrating how to make the popular Vietnamese soup, Pho. 

MASTERCLASS – Food writing with Felicity Cloake
Tuesday 23rd January, 6:30pm – 9:00pm, from £35

To celebrate the launch of These Delicious Things cookbook, award-winning food writer for The Guardian, Felicity Cloake, is hosting a masterclass to share her tips and tricks to writing engaging and evocative food content through structure, rhythm, and language. Guests will be able to put their new skills to the test while chefs prepare a dish to be enjoyed as a group at the end of the session. 

ALL THINGS DRINK – Scottish cheese & whisky with Neal’s Yard Dairy for Burn’s Night
Thursday 25th January, 6:30pm – 9:00pm, from £35

To celebrate Burns Night, we welcome to the Studio Neal’s Yard Dairy, founded in Covent Garden in 1979 and who offer a truly stunning array of cheeses from specialist cheesemakers, for a delicious tasting of some of 4 of Scotland’s best cheese paired with 5 Fortnum’s whiskies.

MASTERCLASS – Small batch baking with Edd Kimber
Sunday 28th January, 3:00pm – 5:00pm, from £35

No stranger to creating large elaborate bakes, food writer, winner of Great British Bake Off, and author, Edd Kimber, will be teaching guests about the benefits of baking for just one or two. Drawing on recipes from his book, Small Batch Bakes, he’ll be running a cook-along that will showcase recipes that are low-waste, low-cost and high in flavour. 

IN CONVERSATION WITH – The future of meat production
Wednesday 31st January, 6:30pm – 8:00pm, £20

While working as a management consultant to supermarkets, Dr Russ Tucker came across challenges of efficiency and sustainability in the meat industry, which led him to swap the cleaver for the culture dish and set up Ivy Farm Technologies, specialising in cultivated meat. Chaired by Sasha Notley, Fortnum’s Director of Sustainability, Riccardo Giraudi from Le Petit Beef bar will be joining Emma Lewis from Ivy Farm Technologies and Phil Scott from Lake District Farmers to debate the controversial topic.

MASTERCLASS – Love potions with Eleanor Ford
Monday 12th February, 6:30pm – 8:00pm, £35

Award-winning food writer and spice expert, Eleanor Ford, will host a masterclass to show guests how using spices in cooking can in turn spice up their love lives. Discover which spices are considered aphrodisiacs and create your own love potions, guaranteed to make your crush fall in love with you. 

IN THE STUDIO WITH – Samantha Smith talks sugar free cooking
Monday 19th February, 6:30pm – 9:00pm, from £45

Sam Smith is a home baker who discovered her love of cooking and baking from an early age. Appearing on BBC One’s The Queen’s Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years in the Baking, her Jubilee Bundt cake landed her a place in the final 5 of a nationwide competition to celebrate the late Queen’s platinum jubilee. Join her for a talk, demo, and dinner in the Food & Drink Studio themed around her love/hate relationship with sugar while living with type one diabetes. 

Food Desk

For further information and future events visit the Fortnum & Mason website here.